i like the album but its not as in depth as critics make it seem.
i remember De La did the greatest shyt ever to me. they gave out their entire discography for free for christmas once.It's lauded for the sampling and production techniques mainly. i think 3 Feet High & Rising is just as good if not better as far as production goes and the rhymes kick the living shyt out of anything the Beasties ever did. not to mention PE/Bomb Squad were the leaders of that style of beats with 10+ samples and little 2 bar interludes.
Feel it coming in the air tonight is pure heat rokks. and when dmx went on the flipped beatt.. 
